Our story – moving into our own home
We had been living in the middle of a bog area in a caravan and then a mobile home for about six years. We found this very difficult but we made it work at the time. We had a water tank that would get filled every week and our electricity came from a generator which we would have to get fuel for regularly. This generator caused us a lot of trouble as it would always break and cost a good bit to get fixed. We used a kerosene heater for heat which wasn’t great because the fumes were not good for our health and especially the health of our children. During the winter time it was worse because there would be icicles on the ceiling of the mobile in the morning time.
We reared our two young children as best we could with what we had to give them a good start at life but it was not easy to do in the conditions. Living out there we were very isolated from people and it was very lonely for us trying to get by in life. Really the restrictions of Covid didn’t change how we lived because we have felt isolated for a long time.
We were over the moon when we heard we were being offered the NOVAS house, we really didn’t believe this would ever happen for us. When we first got to see the house we were delighted and at the time still really did not believe that it was happening. We didn’t even know what to do or how to move into a house but we have had so much support from Ciara in the Tipperary NOVAS service that she made everything easier for us. She has been helping us out for about 2 years now and we honestly couldn’t ask for a better person to support us. She has helped make our house a home.
It means the world to me knowing that my wife and children are now safe and we have more freedom to be happy. We have got our heating, electricity and running water with no worries about whether or not they cut out or waking up to icicles in the morning.
Our children have the space in the house and even having the back garden now where they can grow up safely, they did not have this before. We have a small dog and she loves the house too and even has her own little bed in the sitting room. We are not isolated anymore and have better access to shops and places that we need to go to everyday. We always make sure to celebrate Christmas no matter where we have been but this will be the best Christmas in our new home.
My family feel totally safe and secure for the first time in a long time and we are very happy.
